Knock-down reel



March 28, 1961 F. E. KIMMEL KNOCK-DOWN REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 13, 1956 March 28, 1961 KlMMEL 2,977,066

KNOCK-DOWN REEL Filed Dec. 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u FIG. 4

| Lf/Za A I. I; I r 122 /A/ V5 70/? A E. hlMMEL United States Patent KNOCK-DOWN REEL Filed Dec. 13, 1956, Ser. No. 628,046

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-115) This invention relates to reels, and more particularly to reels for supporting material such as telephone cable, which may be collapsed and portions thereof discarded to occupy a smaller volume.

When telephone or other cable is manufactured, it is generally wound upon reels as this provides a convenient and compact means for shipment. After the reel of cable arrives at the point at which the cable is to be utilized, the cable is unwound from the reel. When the reel is empty, it must then be returned to the manufacturing organization as the cost of using reels only once would be prohibitive. Manifestly, when an empty reel is shipped, the majority of the shipping space is wasted inasmuch as the space between the heads and within the interior of the drum is unoccupied. Consequently, a considerable saving in shipping expense could be effected if means for permitting rapid disassembly of cable reels could be provided so that it'would be possible to ship the disassembled reels in a much more compact configuration. Further, additional space could be saved if portions of the reel were made of inexpensive material that could be discarded after the cable was used.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a knock-down reel which is susceptible of rapid assembly and disassembly.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cable reel in which the means utilized to secure the p together are expendible. I

It is a further object of this invention cable reel wherein the drum is formed by a plurality of slats extending between the heads and in which the heads and slats are held in their assembled positions by expendible means.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates a cable reelwherein a plurality of slats, interposed between the reelheads, form the drum of the reel. Expendible steel'bands are provided to main tain the slats in a cylindrical configuration adjacent the inner flanges of the reel heads. Thereel heads are drawn against the ends of the slats by means of-additional-steel bands running between brackets secured to the. inner flanges'ofthe' reel heads. Alternatively, the reel heads may be held against. the ends ofthei-slats by means of draw bolts positioned in bayonet slotsin slotted brackets secured to the inner flanges of'the reel heads. 'Ifhe reel components may be rapidly secured in assembled relationship by application of the steel bands. Disassembly of the assembled reel is simply a matterfof severing the steel bands or loosening the draw bolts.

Other objects, advantages, andfeatures of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is'aside elevation view, partially in section, of

a knock-down reel= embodying the principal features of the invention; i i Fig. .2 is a sectional view taken alongv the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the draw bolts which may be used to provide a 7 2,977,066 Patented Mar. 28, 1961 ice on the ends of the slats interlock with the fluted or corrugated reel heads;

- Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 illustrating a draw bolt and a steel band in their assembled positions; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Attention now is directed to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designatelike parts throughout the several views and wherein is disclosed a reel comprising reel heads constructed of steel or other suitable material, designated generally by the reference numeral 11, and a drum portion made up of a plurality of wooden slats 12. The reel heads 11 are formed of annular corrugated or fluted members 14 (see Fig. 4) and are reinforced by inner and outer rings 15 and 16, respectively, welded thereto. The slats 12 are provided with tongues 17 on the extremities thereof which fit within the'channels or flutes formed in the members 14 and abut the inner rings 15.

A plurality of angular brackets 19 are welded or' otherwise secured in spaced positions on the interior surface of the ring 15. As most clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, these brackets 19 are provided with bayonet slots 20 for reception of draw bolts 21 provided with i tightening nuts 22. The ring 15 is further provided with a plurality of U-shaped brackets 24 (Figs. 3 and 5) welded thereto. These brackets 24 are adapted to receive head clamping bands 25.

Assembly and disassembly them approximately equal to the length of the wide por-' tions of the slats 12. The slats 12 are then interposed between the reel heads 11 in such a manner that the tongues 17 fit within the channels or flutes formed in the corrugated annular members 14. A pair of narrow drum clamping bands 26 are then placed around the slats 12 and drawn tight. The ends thereof are then secure-d together by means of clamps 27 in the well known manner. The reel heads 11 are then pulled into abutting relationship with theshoulders 29 on the slats 12 by means of either the draw bolts 21 and tightening nuts 22 or the head clamping bands 25 with the ends thereof secured by clamps 30. Thereel is then completely assembled and ready to have cable wound thereon.

Whenever it is desired to ship the reels without cable wound thereon, the'reels maybe dismantled in the folinexpensive lowing manner. Thebands 26 are first cut and removed.

' The wooden slats 12 and draw bolts '21. may or may not I be expendible; depending upon theeconomics involved.

Manifestly, this invention provides acable reel capable of rapid assembly and disassembly .andone whicl 'utilizes expendible components to achieve this re- It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A knock-down reel designed for rapid assembly and disassembly, which comprises a pair of annular reel heads, each of said reel heads having a plurality of radially extending, laterally projecting, spaced stiifening portions defining a series of radial channels therebetween and an annular, reinforcing portion forming a cylindrical flange disposed coaxially withrespect to a central opening in the reel head and arranged to close the innertend of each of said channels to form series of circumferentially spaced pockets, a plurality. of slats .of equal lengths extending between the pair of reel heads and having opposite end portions thereof projecting into corresponding aligned pockets in the pair of reel heads arranged in parallel juxtaposition, each end of each of said slats being confined between adjacent stiffening portions and overlapping the flange-like reinforcing portion so that the slats define a substantially cylindrical reel drum interposed between the reel heads, a plurality of flexible straps closely surrounding and drawn tightly about the cylindrical array of slats to clamp them radially against the flange-like reinforcing portions of the reel heads, and tie means interconnecting said reel heads and urging the reel heads toward one another in abutting relationship with the opposite end portions of said slats.

2. A knock-downreel designed for rapid assembly and disassembly, which comprises a pair of annular reel heads, each of said reel heads having spaced, radially extending corrugations defining a series of radial channels therebetween and an annular, reinforcing portion forming a cylindrical flange disposed coaxially with respect to a central opening in the reel head and arranged to close the inner end of each of said channels to form series of circumferentially spaced pockets, a plurality of slats of equal lengths extending between the pair of reel heads, said slats having tongues on the opposite end portions thereof projecting into corresponding aligned pockets in the pair of reel heads arranged in parallel juxtaposition, each tongue of each of said slats being closely confined between adjacent corrugations so that the end portions of said slats are in overlapping relationship with the flange-like reinforcing portion, a plurality of flexible straps closely surrounding and drawn tightly about the cylindrical array of slats to clamp them radially against the flange-like reinforcing portion of the reel head so that the slats define a reel drum having a substantially cylindrical continuous outer surface interposed between the reel heads, and tie means interconnecting said reel heads and urging the reel headstoward one another in abutting relationship with the opposite end portions of said slats.

3. A knock-down reel designed for rapid assembly and disassembly, which comprises a pair of annular reel heads, each of said reel heads having a plurality of radially extending, laterally projecting spaced stiifenirrg portions defining a series of radial channels therebetween and an annular, reinforcing portion forming a cylindrical flange disposed coaxially with respect to a central opening in the reel head and arranged to close the inner end of each of said channels to form series of circumferentially spaced pockets, a plurality of slats of equal lengths ex tending between the pair of reel heads and having opposite end portions thereof projecting into corresponding aligned pockets on the pair of reel heads arranged in parallel juxtaposition, each end of each of said slats being confined between adjacent stiffening portions and overlapping the flange-like reinforcing portion so that the slats define a substantially cylindrical reel drum interposed between the reel heads, a plurality of flexible straps closely surrounding and drawn tightly about the cylindrical array of slats to clamp them radially against the flange-like reinforcing portions of the reel head, a plurality of brackets secured to, the flange-like reinforcing portion of each reel head,and a plurality of bolts substantially parallel to said slats and interconnecting corresponding aligned brackets on the pair of reel heads for holding said reel heads against the extremities of said slats, said brackets having bayonet-type slots therein for allowing rapid insertion and removal of said bolts to facilitate rapid assembly and disassembly of the reel.

4. A knock-down reel designed for rapid assembly and disassembly, which comprises a pair of annular reel heads, each of said reel heads having a plurality of spaced radially extending, corrugations defining a series of radial channels therebetween and an annular, reinforcing portion forming a cylindrical flange disposed coaxially with respect to a central opening in the reel head and arranged to close the inner end of each of said channels to form series of circriniferentially spaced pockets, a plurality of slats of equal lengths extending between the pair of reel heads, said slats having tongues on the opposite end portions thereof projecting into corresponding aligned pockets in the pair of reel heads arranged'in parallel spaced juxtaposition, each tongue of each of said slats being closely confined between adjacent corrugations so that the end portions of said slats are in overlapping relationship with the flange-like reinforcing portion, a plurality of band-like retaining members closely surrounding and drawn tightly about the cylindrical array of slats to clamp them radially against the flange-like reinforcing portions of the reel head, so that the slats define a reel drum having a substantially cylindrical continuous outer surface interposed between the reel heads, a plurality of brackets secured to the flange-like reinforcing portion of each reel head, and a plurality of flexible straps sub stantially parallel to said slats and interconnecting corresponding brackets disposed on opposite reel heads for holding said reel heads against the extremities of said slats. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 22, 1931 

